My Belgian Golden Strong Recipe

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dgoldb1

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How does this recipe look for my Belgian Golden Strong? Do the sugar and Carafoam or CaraPils ratios look ok? Thanks for any input!

1.083OG
1.015FG
9.1% ABV
5* SRM

Belgian Pilsner Malt – 84% - 16lbs
Carafoam or CaraPils – 4% - 1lb
Belgian Candi Sugar - Clear - 11% - 2lbs

Mash at 149*F for 60min

Boil for 90min because of the high % of Pilsner malt.

Hallertau - 1oz - 60min
Styrian Goldings - 1oz - 30min
Saaz - 1oz - 10min

White Labs Belgian Ale (WLP550)

Ferment starting at 68*F. Let rise to 75-80*F after day 5.
 
How does this recipe look for my Belgian Golden Strong? Do the sugar and Carafoam or CaraPils ratios look ok? Thanks for any input!

1.083OG
1.015FG
9.1% ABV
5* SRM

Belgian Pilsner Malt – 84% - 16lbs
Carafoam or CaraPils – 4% - 1lb
Belgian Candi Sugar - Clear - 11% - 2lbs

Mash at 149*F for 60min

Boil for 90min because of the high % of Pilsner malt.

Hallertau - 1oz - 60min
Styrian Goldings - 1oz - 30min
Saaz - 1oz - 10min

White Labs Belgian Ale (WLP550)

Ferment starting at 68*F. Let rise to 75-80*F after day 5.

Looks like a winner. Made a very similar 10 gal using 1388 a while back. It still smells like the gym lockers in the Y. It's lagering now. I'll probably feed it to the flowers in the end.
 
I think 570 is the Duvel strain, but 550 is good, too. Have you used the clear syrup before? I'll probably get some of the dark stuff eventually, but I'm wondering what the benefit of clear syrup over table sugar is.
 
Have you used the clear syrup before? I'll probably get some of the dark stuff eventually, but I'm wondering what the benefit of clear syrup over table sugar is.

I was wondering the exact same thing. I think Belgian Candy Syrup is made from beets and table is obviously made from sugar cane. I can't imagine there would be too much of a difference in flavor. Any thoughts?
 
I was wondering the exact same thing. I think Belgian Candy Syrup is made from beets and table is obviously made from sugar cane. I can't imagine there would be too much of a difference in flavor. Any thoughts?

Sugar from the grocery store is usually labeled "cane sugar". If not cane sugar it is probably beet sugar. I heard this from a reliable source. I have noticed the really bargain brands have no labeling. I guess consumers want cane not beet sugar. Anyway just used it in my Belgium/French Saison.
 
I also used WLP570 Golden Strong yeast, and it took forever, but it produces a nice pear flavor which is one thing you want in a Golden Strong.

I actually just used Jamil's recipe, with 3# of table sugar.
 
If you take a look at Hieronymus's "Brew Like a Monk", you'll see that very few of the Belgian Breweries still use candi sugar, they've all converted to simple table sugar or the like.

If you're looking to brew a quality brew of this style, you might better post your planned fermentation regimen than your recipe. For this style, like many Belgians, the recipe is very, very simple. Fermentation management is a much greater contributor to the quality of this beer.
 
+1. Wort is made in the kettle, beer is made in the fermenter.
 
Looks like a winner. Made a very similar 10 gal using 1388 a while back. It still smells like the gym lockers in the Y. It's lagering now. I'll probably feed it to the flowers in the end.


+1
I bottled my first golden Strong maybe a month ago now and have to agree on the smell -- I used 1388 also and if it doesn't smell & taste 1,000 times better in 3-6 months I'll be watering the lawn with it.

3787 on my Trippel on the other hand was awesome! I even used it again to make a blonde ale (only 5 bottles of it left)

Never have used WLP550 Belgian Ale Yeast or 3522 Belgian Ardennes before though. Good luck !! :tank:
 
1.015 finishing gravity is quite high for a BGS.

I'd decrease the amount of base grain to put the starting gravity more into the 1.070 range, mash super low for a longer time, and have the yeast get it below 1.010.
 
1.015 finishing gravity is quite high for a BGS.

I'd decrease the amount of base grain to put the starting gravity more into the 1.070 range, mash super low for a longer time, and have the yeast get it below 1.010.

Thanks for the tip. Can I still achieve a 9%? I guess I could lower my base grain and increase my sugar. What would the max % of sugar be in this recipe?
 
I would just lower your base grain a bit and leave the sugar addition as is. My last bgs I mashed at 148 and came out to 1.004 fg, I used wyeast Belgian ardennes yeast. Turned out fantastic.
 
Thanks for the tip. Can I still achieve a 9%? I guess I could lower my base grain and increase my sugar. What would the max % of sugar be in this recipe?

Sure you can. Mine started at 1.070 and finished at 1.007 to give it roughly 8.3%. I used 2.5 lbs of sugar. Sadly, it'll be another month or two before I get around to tasting it and giving a proper run-down.

I just really think you'll want to shoot to get below 1.010 for a great representation of this style. Whether you can achieve that by mash temp, sugar additions, etc. is up to you. I don't have a hard and fast guide for maximum amount of sugar, but I would keep it around 20% - so find that balance between base grain and sugar. Just adding sugar alone won't dry the beer out anymore, as you've stated, you'll need to substitute the sugar for the grain, or perhaps in your case just drop some of the grain altogether. Just pitch a lot of healthy yeast and control the fermentation temperatures during the first couple of days so you're not producing too many fusels.
 
I've modified my recipe in Hopville. It's showing my SG is 1.083 and my FG is 1.017 with WLP500 at 80% attenuation. Can WLP500 get it down to below 1.010 from 1.083 with proper pitching?
 
bchurch said:
I would just lower your base grain a bit and leave the sugar addition as is. My last bgs I mashed at 148 and came out to 1.004 fg, I used wyeast Belgian ardennes yeast. Turned out fantastic.

+ 1 on the Ardennes yeast. I used it for both a Golden Strong and a Dark Strong. Both were 10% abv and turned out awesome. I split the golden strong batch with a buddy and he used 1388...his ferment stuck at 1.024 while mine hit 1.008.
 
+ 1 on the Ardennes yeast. I used it for both a Golden Strong and a Dark Strong. Both were 10% abv and turned out awesome. I split the golden strong batch with a buddy and he used 1388...his ferment stuck at 1.024 while mine hit 1.008.

Does White Labs carry Ardennes? My LHBS only have White Labs...
 
I am not 100% sure but if you keep the 2 lbs of sugar and mash at 149 like you wanted, you should get down to about 1.008, again not 100% but in my experience that's what I would expect.
 
should I add the 2 lbs of table sugar at 15min?

I wait until fermentation is winding down to add the simple sugars. The yeast will be able to do their job better if you have them work on the more complex malt sugars first, then let them cruise through the simple stuff afterward.
 
I usually make mine into a sugar syrup and add it at the end of the boil, but that's just me. I would add to the boil though that's how most do it.
 
You'll get 75% to 80% attenuation of your malt and grain derived wort, and essentially 100% of added simple sugars. Combined, you may hit the 88%.
 
I usually make mine into a sugar syrup and add it at the end of the boil, but that's just me. I would add to the boil though that's how most do it.

Why make the syrup instead?
 
Why make the syrup instead?

Just for my own piece of mind really. I like being able to control the heat under the sugar and with my boil kettle going full blast I just don't want 2 pounds of sugar on the bottom for very long.
 
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